Shortcut keys for MetaTrader 4

The trading platform MetaTrader 4 is fast becoming the essential tool needed to profit from the forex markets. It is an immensely powerful application that allows automated trading, back-testing and charting. But to get the most of it, you need to know how to use it efficiently. Here are a full list of MetaTrader shortcut keys to speed up your trading processes: 

Function (F) Keys

F1 – open “Help” 

F2 – open the “History Center” window 

F3 – open the “Global Variables” window 

F4 – open MetaEditor 

F6 – call the “Tester” window for testing the expert attached to the chart window 

F7 – call the “Properties” window of the expert attached to their chart window in order to change settings 

F8 – call the “Chart Setup” window 

F9 – call the “New Order” window 

F10 – open the “Popup prices” window 

F11 – enable/disable the full screen mode 

F12 – move the chart by one bar to the left 

Shift Key Combinations

Shift+F12 – move the chart by one bar to the right

Shift+F5 – switch to the previous profile

 

Alt Key Combinations

Alt+1 – display the chart as a sequence of bars (transform into bar chart) 

Alt+2 – display the chart as a sequence of candlesticks (transform into candlesticks) 

Alt+3 – display the chart as a broken line (transform into line chart) 

Alt+A – copy all test/optimization results into the clipboard 

Alt+W – call the chart managing window 

Alt+F4 – close the client terminal 

Alt+Backspace or Ctrl+Z – undo object deletion 

 

Ctrl Key Combinations

Ctrl+A – arrange all indicator windows heights by default 

Ctrl+B – call the “Objects List” window 

Ctrl+C or Ctrl+Insert – copy to the clipboard 

Ctrl+E – enable/disable expert advisor 

Ctrl+F – enable “Crosshair” 

Ctrl+G – show/hide grid 

Ctrl+H – show/hide OHLC line 

Ctrl+I – call the “Indicators List” window 

Ctrl+L – show/hide volumes 

Ctrl+P – print the chart 

Ctrl+S – save the chart in a file having extensions: “CSV”, “PRN”, “HTM” 

Ctrl+W or Ctrl+F4 – close the chart window 

Ctrl+Y– show/hide period separators 

Ctrl+Z or Alt+Backspace – undo the object deletion 

Ctrl+D – open/close the “Data Window” 

Ctrl+M – open/close the “Market Watch” window 

Ctrl+N – open/close the “Navigator” window 

Ctrl+O – open the “Options” window 

Ctrl+R – open/close the “Tester” window 

Ctrl+T – open/close the “Terminal” window 

Ctrl+F5 – switch to the next profile 

Ctrl+F6 – activate the next chart window 

Ctrl+F9 – open the “Terminal – Trade” window and switch the focus into it. After this, the trading activities can be managed with keyboard 

Keypad and Combinations

“left arrow” – chart scrolling to the left 

“right arrow” – chart scrolling to the right 

“up arrow” – fast chart scrolling to the left or, if the scale is defined, chart scrolling up 

“down arrow” – fast chart scrolling to the right or, if the scale is defined, chart scrolling down 

Numpad 5 – restoring of automatic chart vertical scale after its being changed. If the scale was defined, this hot key will return the chart into the visible range 

Page Up – fast chart scrolling to the left 

Page Down – fast chart scrolling to the right 

Home – move the chart to the start point 

End – move the chart to the end point 

“-” – chart zoom out 

“+” – chart zoom in 

Delete – delete all selected graphical objects 

Backspace – delete the latest objects imposed into the chart window 

Enter – open/close fast navigation window 

Esc – close the dialog window